Environmental Degradation Essay

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Environmental Degradation: | COURSE TITLE: Food and Forestry | MAJOR: Sociology | ID: 201118001 | NAME: Prince Daniel Onyejelem Ozioma | Introduction: When the environment becomes less valuable or damaged, environmental degradation is said to occur. Environmental degradation can occur naturally, or through human processes. The largest areas of concern at present are the loss of rain forests, air pollution and smog, ozone depletion, and the destruction of the marine environment. Pollution is occurring all over the world and poisoning the planet's oceans. Even in remote areas, the effects of marine degradation are obvious. In some areas, the natural environment has been exposed to hazardous waste. In other places, like the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, major disasters such as oil spills have ruined the local environment. Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife. Accordingly, The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines environmental degradation as “The reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives, and needs”. It is caused by direct or indirect human activity, and has increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution. The United Nations has listed environmental degradation in its top ten lists of high level threats faced by the planet to date. Causes of Environmental Degradation: There are many forms of environmental degradation. When habitats are destroyed, biodiversity is lost, or natural resources are depleted, the environment is hurt. Environmental degradation is caused in a variety of ways, predominantly by human actions, however natural events can also result in the deterioration of an environment. Earthquakes, volcanoes and

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